


I do it for them

by Multifandom_damnation



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Love, Family Dynamics, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I also don't know anything about turtle anatomy or biology so leave me be, Medical Inaccuracies, Minor Injuries, New Family, Protectiveness, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Worth Issues, Team as Family, from the writer, fuck I'm an asshole to poor donnie, i don't know anything about medical stuff and I wasn't about to google that shit, i love him though, self neglect, set in 2016 verse but mostly just the backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 01:07:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15984329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifandom_damnation/pseuds/Multifandom_damnation
Summary: "Why do you do it?""Do what?""All this," He waved his hand about. "Everything. Why do you do it?"A pause. A long pause with nothing but the clinking of glass dropping into a metal basin. "Because they're my brothers."





	I do it for them

**Author's Note:**

> A really short fic. I just got this idea and thought I'd give writing these turtles a go. I know not many people like the Bay movies but I enjoyed them, so I thought I'd try and do something with the most unlikely paring haha. Tell me what you think, if I did alright with this I might write some more (Other than those already in the making haha, There's about... three that I might post if they're good after I'm done.)

“Casey, stop moving, I haven’t finished wrapping you up yet,” Donnie tutted as he gripped the human's shoulder and turned him back into proper position.

Unconsciously, Casey had rotated so he could watch Michelangelo limp off with his arm slung over Leonardo’s shoulder and Raphael grunting as he moved while he carried April, asleep in his arms, to the couch. “Uh, sorry ‘bout that.”

“It’s fine,” Donnie waved off as he methodically wrapped the bandage around Casey’s shoulder. “How did you even manage this?”

“Stalling Bebop and Rocksteady in the warehouse,” Casey winced as Donnie tightened the bandage. “I uh, think my ankle might be sprained too. I forgot how long it’s been since I roller-skated.

Humming, Don tied off the bandage and moved to gather tools and equipment from a nearby filing cabinet. “No worries. I’ll have that sorted in a moment, I’m going to make sure you don’t have an infection up here first. Sorry, this might sting a little.”

As Casey was biting back a yelp at the pain, Leo poked his head into the lab, exhaustion evident on his scared face. He had stitches above his eyebrow and on his lip, his wrist bandaged like Casey’s elbow and his eyes narrowed in concern. He nodded at Casey in acknowledgement then turned his attention to his brother. “Donnie, once you sort him out, you take care of yourself and take a break.”

“I still have to check up on April and give Raph a few more stitches.” Don protested. “And don’t think you’re off the hook either, Leo. I saw you get tossed around. Mikey may have tears in the cartilage between his shell and his ribs may be piercing his lungs- he said he was having problems breathing, right?”

Exhaling a sigh that told Casey this was a very common conversation, Leo closed his eyes and wiped a hand down his face. “Donatello…” he commanded in his most imposing ‘leader’ voice, but even Casey could tell it wasn’t going to work.

“No Leo, not this time.” Donatello stood from his chair- one Casey noticed was made entirely from old skateboards- and turned to face his brother. “I follow your orders in everything, no matter what and you know that, but I will not take shortcuts with your health.”

“What about your health?” Leo retorted, stepping fully into the room. Casey tried to ignore how he was favouring his right side and had his left arm elevated up by his clavicle. Donnie obviously didn’t as his eyes narrowed at the sight. “Why do you take shortcuts with your health but not ours?”

Rolling his eyes, Donnie turned back to Casey. “I didn’t get hurt, Leo. I hardly did anything all fight. And besides, we are not having this conversation right now. Not when I have a patient on my table- _oh my god Casey is that glass?_ ” The last was said quickly as Donnie moved behind him and Casey blinked at being addressed directly.

“Uh, I think so?” He said, unsure, and shot Leo an apologetic smile as the older brother threw his arms up in the air and left the room. “Rocksteady may have kicked me into a car window…” he tried to shrink away from Donnie’s withering glare but he winced at the pain instead. “From a moving motorbike…”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Donnie demanded, dropping his tools and scooting to a workbench. He returned with a headlamp secured tightly to his head and a pair of tweezers in his hand.

Shrugging, Casey turned back around so Donnie could have better access to the glass. “It didn’t seem important. I mean, I didn’t really feel it until after, you know? I think I was more focused on distracting them and making sure April and Vern were alright that I- ow!”

“Sorry,” Donnie said, not at all regretful. “These are all pretty deep. And not feeling it would have been the adrenalin, you see, in stressful situations…”

Eventually, Casey dulled out the scientific explanation of the release of adrenaline, only choosing to speak when Leo caught up to Raph and the two of them had a quiet yet heated conversation, arms crossed and shooting worried glances at the infirmary. “Why do you do it?” he asked, surprising himself.

Donnie’s hands paused momentarily from where they were gently resting on his skin and the cool metal of the tweezers was pulled away. “Do what?”

Casey jerked his chin at the other turtles. “Take so much care of them, even though they can take care of themselves, and… you know. Pretend you’re not in pain.” He lowered his voice so only Donnie could hear. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your hands shaking.”

There was a moment of silence as Donnie plucked glass from Casey’s skin and dropped the shards lightly in a metal basin. “Because they’re my brothers,” he said quietly. “They don’t know the things I do. And sure, they could learn, but that would take forever. I’m not the most… adept fighter and I almost always need someone to watch my back in case I need help but… I know how to stitch them up. I know how to wrap their injuries and disinfect their cuts and check for broken ribs. So I suppose the responsibility fell on me.”

“Because you’re so smart?” Casey assumed.

Humming, Donnie dropped the tweezers and picked up a rag full of brown antiseptic gel and wiped it gently over Casey’s back. “That, and because I’m not really… good for anything else, you know? Leo is the leader, Raph protects us no matter what, Mikey is the smartass who keeps us going. All I do is provide useless knowledge, fix things, upgrade gadgets, build machines, connect all the security feeds and things. Nothing as important.”

“W-what do you mean, ‘nothing as important’? Don, that’s huge! Do you know how much you do for these guys?” Casey exclaimed “You do everything for them! They wouldn’t be able to get through a whole day without you.”

From behind him, Casey could feel Don shake his head. “Nobody needs that. We need someone to lead us in dire situations. We need people to fight for us when we feel like giving up. We need someone to give us a reason to get out of bed in the mornings. And we need someone to stitch us up after battles and because I know the most the responsibility fell to me.” He shrugged. “Hey, I don’t mind. As long as I get to help them in some way then I feel like I’m doing my duty to my family. I feel like I’m paying them back in some way for how much they have to look after me.”

“Do they know you feel like this?” Casey asked tentatively, expecting the answer he was dreading.

Donnie snorted as he bent down to look after Casey’s ankle. “Of course not. I’m the smart one, remember? I’ve got nothing to tell them- nothing that can’t endure the ridicule and the over-protectiveness. No, I’ve accepted where I fit into this family. I think I’ll keep quiet for now.” He gently wrapped a bandage around Casey’s ankle and handed him an ice pack from the cooler. “It’s only strained, not sprained, and yes there is a difference. Keep it elevated tonight. And maybe sleep on your side so you don’t irritate the cuts on your back.”

“Thanks, Don,” Casey said quietly, shaking Donnie’s hand as he stood to leave and the turtle be to clean his tools. “I owe you one.”

“Nah,” Donnie chuckled “Just be careful next time. Oh, do me a favour, will you? Can you send Raph in when you pass him?”

“Will do.” Casey called out as he left. He strolled right up to Raph and Leo, still leaning against the wall and speaking in lowered tones. They looked up as Casey approached.  “Yo Raph, Donnie wants to see you. Where’s Mikey?”

“Meathead passed out as soon as we took him to bed.” The words were sharp but the tone was soft and loving. Strange, coming from Raph. “Took everything we had to get him onto his bunk without waking him.”

Leo nudged Raph forward with his elbow. “Don’t keep Donnie waiting. I want him to get as much sleep as possible.”

Nodding, Raph pushed off from the wall and made his way to the infirmly but Casey grabbed his arm to stop him.  “Before you do, promise me something? Both of you?”

Raph’s eyes narrowed in suspicion and Leo crept closer. “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

“Don’t give him any crap about him being in pain if you notice anything,” Casey said, obviously surprising the turtles. “And get off his case about worrying about you. He’s just doing his job to look after his brothers. Seeing you hurt is more painful to him than you think.” He let go of Raph and walked to the couch. “Goodnight.”

Casey was asleep before he could hear the frantic mutterings and the heartbroken whisperings of a family full of fighters trying to pull apart each other’s dark secrets. He did catch, however, the gentle tones both brothers used when they spoke to Donnie and the excitement Don talked with as he explained medical knowledge and coding algorithms.

Buried under blankets that smelt faintly of pizza and sweat, Casey smiled.


End file.
